There are some jobs that are so mundane that people tend to forget the risks associated with them. For example, in cities across the country, it is common to see a worker sitting on a boatswain chair, hanging by the side of a building, cleaning the windows. Most people forget the various risks associated with this job, until an accident occurs and forces people to sit up and take note.
An incident like this recently occurred in Franklin County. According to news reports, a window washer was seriously injured after suffering an 80-foot fall in Grandview Yard. The victim was rushed to the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Police said the worker fell from as high as four stories.
As a part of the investigation, authorities are looking at the surveillance footage to determine how the accident occurred. Authorities want to determine whether the window washer slipped off the edge of the roof while getting on the boatswain chair or whether the accident was caused by faulty ropes.
A workplace accident such as this can wreak havoc in the lives of the victims and also the lives of their family members. Not only do the injured workers lose pay due to their absence from work, they also have to spend a large sum of money on medical treatment and rehabilitation. In addition, they are unsure about whether they will ever be able to return to work, which means they are unsure about their livelihood.
Injured workers are eligible for several benefits under Ohio’s workers’ compensation laws. The benefits may include some or all of the following: access to quality healthcare; compensation for lost wages; compensation for temporary/permanent and partial/total disabilities; certain lump sum benefits; and vocational rehabilitation and living maintenance compensation to help the worker return to work.